Splash Mountain Closed Forever at Disneyland, Tiana Updates, PIXAR Hotel Lobby Opens

[@Wild_D]

I love it when Tom cracks himself up

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

Goodbye for the final time for splash mountain

[@DaffyTaffy93]

I’m glad I got to ride it for the 1st and last time last year it was an amazing ride Thunder Mountain 1st Splash Mountain 2nd Space Mountain 3rd

[@guyfrattallone6029]

Tom had to swallow HARD when he was talking about road gravel. Methinks his mouth was watering.

[@koopa159]

Never thought I would miss the old Paradise Pier Hotel, but here I am.

[@godofzombi]

They should call it the "Zero Effort Hotel".

[@mutecryptid]

I hate that modern interior design is just grey or beige

[@hunky-dory2735]

I visited Animal kingdom today and as per my usual I ran straight to dinosaur and was so disappointed that many of the animatronics weren’t working. To name a few there’s the Dino eating the other donor, the first and second carnotaurus etc. I was really sad to see one of my favorite rides not up to its usual standards

[@mandymayne8759]

The Paradise Pier/Pixar Place Hotel was not built as a Disney property. When the hotel opened in the 1980’s it was originally named the Emerald Hotel and was owned and operated by another company. That’s probably why it doesn’t “feel” like a Disney hotel. Disney purchased it in the 1990’s.

[@WDWNT]

Yup, was a Japanese business hotel

[@sbuttgereit]

I'm sure it will be "Hotel Cafe" once it's all done and dusted. What it looks like to me is they've brought solid, experienced hotel industry executives in to oversee this division... which is fine if you're opening a chain place like a Hilton... but that's not why people want to go to Disneyland (and there's a reasonable Hilton and Marriott, etc. a block and half away for a much better price.) I think this is my whole problem with Disney over the past decade or two. They're doing the much more typical things; they're making the decisions you'd expect any corporate chain place to make. A long time ago I use to work for the corporate offices of the old "Virgin Megastores" (back when that was a thing); we'd go to different cities to open stores and we'd basically open places with all the same design sensibility, and do so alongside other chains like Planet Hollywood, etc, that were all doing the same thing (including at the Disney Springs shopping area back in the day). But that's not what draws people to the Disney brand. Sure you might be able to push the premium product narrative for awhile with that approach, but it will run thin fast since you're now indistinguishable from all the other would be "luxury brands". What I see here are executives and managers making safe decisions... perhaps that's what this genre of design/architecture should be called: "executive safe". It's "clean", which allows them to lay claim to midcentury design sensibilities... but it also lacks any midcentury daring... which means it will offend almost no one than the die-hard Disney fans that expect more. There was once a time that Salvador Dali called Walt Disney one of "America's Great Surrealists" (paraphrased)... he really wasn't wrong. The originality of vision and the dedication to the vision.... that's what brought people to the brand. It was risky, it was long term thinking at the expense of short term priorities, and sometimes it didn't work... but it worked well enough that over time it built the reputation that the company coasts on to this day.

[@unclesaltytoldme]

Elemental sounds so bad. Losing splash is so sad. Was just in Japan and it’s so great there. 😢

[@lovinlorne]

I like change. I like new things to see. Maybe it’s because we go all the time? I don’t know. But I’m looking forward to something new.

[@guyfrattallone6029]

I'm sure SWAMP FROG MOUNTAIN is gonna be a blast!

[@CattyWompus.]

When they make changes for the purposes of improvement or innovation, yes! When they make budget oriented changes for the purposes of not getting into hot water, no! We all know this is gonna be done on the cheap

[@guyfrattallone6029]

@@CattyWompus. Don't get me wrong...I like your response. But I think it will be good...i just don't know any of that music or the movie itself.

[@NightmareSkellington1993]

R.I.P Splash Mountain (1989 - 2023)

[@CattyWompus.]

The new paradise pier lobby feels like the hotel that your family would book before a cruise or at a convention. The previous lobby wasn’t great, but this is terrible

[@TheDisneyLife-wl6wu]

Shouldn't Wondrous Journeys have a special performance on October 16th for Disney's 100th Anniversary Day?

[@himynameiscorey]

This is exactly what I said!

[@tamiller84]

Tom - I'm impressed. You have at least 1 friend :-)

[@seanstein8313]

That new lobby is actually cheaper looking than a springhill suites. I definitely prefer the old lobby with surfer goofy

[@donnamcduffie8457]

😂 Thanks. I was laughing so hard, yet it's so sad, the boring redo of Paradise Pier. Agree with you completely! 0:03

[@TheDisneyLife-wl6wu]

R.I.P Splash Mountain 😥😥

[@giselleberghouse6540]

Your comments are on FIRE today! Hahaha thank you for the no friends laugh

[@membraneproductions2023]

I get that a lot of people are upset about Splash Mountain. But seeing the theming in the new ToonTown and Runaway Railway gives me hope. I have faith in the Imagineers to create something great.

[@garypearson7938]

love your hotel gift shop riffs

[@facusmendoza1061]

I Miss u Tom Bye Splash mountain I hope Disneyland Forever Never Comeback Wondrous Journeys Was Amazing Like Remenber Dreams Come true

[@CrazyManhog]

Its sad but im very happy Tokyo Confirmed to keep there Splash Mountain because they disagree to the changes of Tainas Bayou Adventure

[@alexgrannis1299]

That hotel is giving holiday inn express

[@justinfriedrich5741]

You are not the only one who is laughing at Hotel Gift Shop. Maybe there should be a meme following this naming theme by naming rides so generic that even Disney will even laugh at it. Weird that the cooldown log slide is closing down forever before a blasting heat that may come in the summer. Anyways, whenever I’m in the parks my favorite is either the train ride to nowhere and/or the train coaster mountain, I also like the cooldown log slide but that’s because I’m biased on all of the funny pictures on that ride.

[@marcuscheng2507]

I am so disappointed about Splash Mountain!

[@joncarlos716]

I’m 50/50 I’m sad because my parents took us and went on it, never forget that. And I’m looking forward for the new one so that I will take my family on it and my princess likes tina.

[@CrazyManhog]

One more left

[@Chaos_PlushShorts]

I WANT SPLASH MOUNTAIN BACK 😣

[@NOTWFTW]

Disney is creating a brand new ride. They're calling it, "New Ride".😅

[@guyfrattallone6029]

It's not a authentic Disney churro unless it gives you the GREEN-APPLE-SPLATTERS!

[@TheWASHINGMACHINEBOY]

the fact that the live action little mermaid meets guests near it's a small world may have been a coincidence since that is where you can talk to her (the cartoon version) in the disneyland adventures videogame

[@lucasgallanipacheco]

Foi bom enquanto durou splash Mountain depois de 35 anos

[@theresamultistan4549]

I had already watched the lobby walk through and when I saw HOTEL GIFT SHOP it took me back over 30 years when we stayed off site at WDW. You shouldn't see that at an on-site resort.

[@colewright999]

The great maple makes no sense however I have been many times to the fashion island location and it is delicious!

[@alextirrellRI]

So far highly unimpressed with the new Pixar Hotel. The white is a big part of it, plus a lot of the stuff they put on the ceilings makes them look really low, which seems odd.

[@Spynebreaker]

So in the interest of "diversity" they didn't give Tiana her own ride but pawned off an existing loved American classic with a rework? And not even in the New Orleans Square where you know her MOVIE is set? Splash Mountain will always be Briar country.

[@Barah714]

Yea, and why are they theming her ride on a mountain when there is not one single mountain in New Orleans?

[@romanumeralz]

Well put. It’s all a stab at the fanbase. Chivalry and loyalty are dead. ☠️

[@TL_oS]

The refurbished hotel in Anaheim is depressing, unoriginal, institutional-looking and a huge letdown. Bad show!

[@theamazingDrBob]

Do you know what would be a better name for that hotel gift shop? Knick Knacks. You know, like the Pixar short film from 1989? That's what you sell in there. Knickknacks. A little easter egg. I like it. I want to know what Tom thinks.

[@WDWNT]

That’s already a store…

[@theamazingDrBob]

Make that the second location.

[@Julescasper]

Wow Pixar Place Hotel looks awful

[@angji184]

Yeah it look like a non disney hotel and PCH Grill is still there right

[@angji184]

Yeah it look like a non disney hotel and PCH Grill is still there right

[@alansimonis8283]

On the walkthrough video I said this hotel has more Piet Mondrian inspiration than Pixar - it looks like the end result might be 50/50, at least for the lobby. I guess it's something that there actually is an identifiable influence to the design, but it still just feels like them leaning into that bland "mid-century" aesthetic that they're doing to Downtown Disney and parts of WDW. Ultimately, I think there's just a disconnect between the people making the decisions (or who were making them), and what guests have traditionally wanted from Disney theming. They want plain, sleek, modern and upscale - we want something fun, unique, and filled with characters and references.

[@SansDemStrings]

Said the same thing. But also complained about all the gray.

[@IzzosPlace]

I’m gonna start a KZbin channel called “KZbin channel” to cover the hotel gift shop and anything else the creative team behind it does 🤦🏻

[@StormTheCastle619]

The gift shop was Mickey in Paradise

[@Ethan839]

First and probably only time I'll ever go to Disneyland will be June 5th - 9th. We decided to book the Paradise Pier Hotel because of location and cost efficiency however I'm starting to regret this choice. It's literally an active construction zone that they are STILL BOOKING for guest! To me it just seems like bad show and not to mention how laughably terrible the new design is thus far. It doesn't feel like Disney and for someone who is going on a once and a lifetime trip who is already beyond disappointed that three major dark rides are going to be closed during a week when Disneyland park has been complelty booked on the reservation calendar, it's hard to be exicted to go. When you spend this kind of money just to get to California, knowing my hotel will be crappy is defiently not a good look. It's a real shame.

[@theamazingDrBob]

Hotel gift shop. Best. Name. Ever.

[@donm2427]

I think there’re trying to be “camp” with the naming.

[@gabrieldally6044]

Not only does Pixar place look ugly from the inside, It also looks ugly from the outside, specifically in California Adventure. It looks like a third party hotel from inside the park and looks very invasive

[@natefiedler]

I think it’s disgusting that Disney is still allowing guests to stay in the paradise pier hotel. It 100% should’ve been closed for a proper transformation but they only care about making that extra bit of money.

[@stevegoodwin4914]

Worst mistake ever to close Splash mountain

[@guyfrattallone6029]

You got that right!

[@alex64gaming]

I agree. This is not going to settle well

[@ashleysparks3609]

@@alex64gaming it’s the same RIDE

[@ashleysparks3609]

It’s legit the SAME RIDE

[@CaliforniaDreamin.]

I agree

[@bryancjann]

Paradise pier was always the worst hotel. Are the freight elevators faster than the guest elevators those were horribly slow

[@bradkoerner1]

Pixar Pier is currently awful - and scary that even if it is not complete, the senior management team thought it OK to let guests stay in a half-complete construction project. SHOW anyone??? Anyone???? Worse - is this the same corporate-level management team that is currently destroying the Seven Seas Lagoon? Is that the level of decor (I won't even call it "theming") that we can expect at the Poly?

[@tammerahanes1792]

Babygirl you are the Best and Blessed we Love Your channel. Cause you are so Creative.❤❤❤❤❤😊💙🤍❤️🥰😘Keep up the Great Work.

[@carissacronenwett8013]

OMG! The hotel is depressing

[@carolbowers4482]

Tom, you have friends you’ve never met! We’re so glad you’re back from Disneyland Paris. My husband and I are going to visit the Galactic Starcruiser on July 27th for the first and,sadly, the last time. Are you going back for one last cruise?

[@DS-pe8tt]

What happened to cast members @ the Disneyland Resort? Other than the costume required to man the ride, none of them were in character. It felt like a museum and amusement parks, not theme parks. What happen to magic of the cast members? (The newly trained security guard at rope drop & the DCA entry gate cast member were the only two cast members for both parks that brought magic to the parks.)

[@willrontani5894]

I’ve been following the Paradise pier hotel transformation. It appears to me that they are doubling down on this conversion to a Mid-Century Modern aesthetic. Now, generally, mid century modernism really is a hallmark artistic style that is directly tied to Disneyland. What they are missing is how mid century modernism is tied to Pixar. Now you can see mid century modernism in the Incredibles and you can see elements of it in Inside Out. I But generally when I think of Pixar, I don’t think of mid century modernism. The fact that they didn’t name the hotel gift shop just tells me that they weren’t really ready to open up this lobby. However, people have been asking, “When are they gonna get this done?” We were promised this opened in the spring of 23 which didn’t happen. The irony is that they just finished refurbishing the pool before they even started the transformation to the new theme. I don’t think they know what they’re doing with this particular property other than the former CEO, who will remain nameless, wanted to find a way to increase the value of the property without actually spending any money. I don’t think Iger can fix this.

[@willrontani5894]

Now, as for Great Maple, I am all for there being a restaurant at this hotel. The reason why I see this is, it is clear to me that they had no desire to keep offering food service, outside of a large, glorified, vending, a establishment, which currently is still there, but has moved to a different room. My question is will this third-party restaurant service, the club level venue, and room service? I don’t know. It also seems to me that Great Maple could tie into Pixar by using Duke Kaboom.

[@willrontani5894]

But if you asked me, it would’ve been better just to do a ratatouille themed restaurant.

[@willrontani5894]

However, having said this, it does occur to me that Disney has a track record of getting people in the door to sponsor renovations and then taking over the business when they ultimately fail.

[@RobRoyRoadie]

I think they had to open the lobby so they could shut down the rear entrance and temporary “lobby” in the ballroom. If they had waited until the main lobby was complete before starting on the rear portion of the hotel, it would have pushed construction out too far, and left the hotel with no amenities like the pool and deck for too long.

[@skunkman9815]

Well It’s official Disney has really lost it, splash mountain is gone, i hope you’re happy disney, because we’re not

[@rapids444]

Pixar to me is all about color, fun, & whimsy... There is no color and fun in that café. It definitely looks boring and generic. behind the check-in desk is kind of fun, but not much. Woody's roundup definitely felt much more on-brand for Pixar than this.

[@wabbygillams]

Just one more reason to stay off property at Disney. Why pay more if you would get a better bang for your buck with the same theming. The Hilton hotels are slowly becoming my favorite place to stay at WDW.

[@michaelberkenkamp5547]

You Tube Comment hoping for a response from WDW news.

[@WDWNT]

Comment

[@michaelbilgen2976]

0:22 - 1:50 BOO!!!!!!!! I was hoping that there would be protesters out front of SM protesting TBA.

[@deee71194]

Believe it or not people have much better things to do and care about

[@selinapersaud7629]

Me three, but I guess this is what the people chose. Silence is louder than protests in this matter unfortunately.

[@michaelbilgen2976]

Thank god for KZbin.

[@justjesterville4931]

Hotel is Trash! It's such an embarrassing mark on the Disney brand.

[@katcalico9142]

Unpopular opinion - I have zero sadness over the re-theming of splash mountain. It is a ride I have enjoyed throughout my life, but I love Tiana and it actually makes sense as a re-theme - they can totally keep the same happy go lucky vibes and maybe even make better. I just hope they put some heart into it and make worthy of Tiana.

[@PatchedUpGaming]

I can't bring myself to watch this and face the news that splash mountain is gone from the USA now. I mean I get that everything has it's time. I just don't want to hear it today lol.

[@PatchedUpGaming]

@@kylekeller3398 There would be a long list of things I'd want to do in Japan before visit Disneyland, but if the opportunity presented itself, I sure would.

[@robyndavis3043]

The lobby sucks!

[@jaanfo3874]

12:15 - 186 feet…? ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY SIX *FEET*???? I think that’s taller than the hotel building itself!!! 12:22 - Oh. APPARENTLY I need a bit more patience before I start typing (I wondered why nobody else had mentioned it!). I still think something’s wrong with that number.

[@worldsgreatestdude1784]

I’ve already vowed to not ride Tiana BS adventure. I hope it sucks & flops even more so than the galactic dumpcruiser

[@romanumeralz]

Disney is DEAD ☠️